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Prolotherapy and Diet

Jun 14, 2011 | By Alison Stellner
Prolotherapy and Diet
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According to Ross A. Hauser, M.D., author of "Prolotherapy: An Alternative to Knee Surgery," prolotherapy is a simple concept when it comes to treating pain, yet radical compared to traditional treatments for sports injuries and chronic pain. Prolotherapy.org describes the procedure as a natural technique which involves injecting a substance into affected ligaments or tendons to incite local inflammation. The inflammation triggers a natural healing response which allows the body to repair itself. Dr. Hauser recommends an anti-inflammatory diet in conjunction with prolotherapy to optimize the natural healing process.

History

Dr. Marc Darrow, with the Darrow Sports and Wellness Institute, traces the modern-day practice of prolotherapy back to 1939, to a medical doctor by the name of Dr. George S. Hackett. Dr. Hackett was the first to introduce an irritating compound into connective tissue in order to reactivate the body's own production of new collagen tissues. Considered the "father" of the treatment, he is also responsible for for first using the term "prolotherapy" to describe the procedure. In 1955, Dr. Hackett passed the baton to Dr. Gustav A. Hemwall, who went on to become the leading practitioner of prolotherapy until his death in 1996.

Function

Prolotherapy is used to treat pain in two specific kinds of tissues: ligaments and tendons. After an injury to a ligament or tendon, as in a sprain or strain to a joint, many times the strong bands of fibrous tissues are left weakened and relaxed. This is referred to as incomplete healing which can lead to chronic pain, according to Prolotherapy.org. Injecting a solution that contains a mild irritant into the affected tissue causes an inflammatory response which in turn triggers the healing process. Dr. Hauser observes that after Prolotherapy, new ligament and tendon tissue grows which may be stronger and thicker than normal tissue, up to 40 percent stronger in some cases.

Importance of Diet

Drs. Hauser and Darrow stress the importance of diet when trying to treat and eliminate pain. Both recommend an anti-inflammatory diet to enhance the efficacy of prolotherapy. Dr. Darrow tests his patients' urine to determine if it is abnormally acidic, which means their diet may increase inflammation with accompanying pain. A diet of protein, vegetables and water consumption is recommended to normalize the pH and reduce inflammation. Dr. Darrow states that a diet high in carbohydrates may make the body more acidic and cause the patient to experience increased bodily pain. Dr. Hauser and his wife Marion, a registered dietitian, co-authored the book "The Hauser Diet," which addresses the optimal diet for your blood type as it correlates to your inflammatory response.

Prolotherapy Diet Recommendations

Dr. Hauser offers general dietary guidelines to his patients undergoing prolotherapy, which he calls his diet principles for healing. First, he advises the consumption of only whole, unprocessed foods as in fresh produce and fresh meat. Second, he encourages his patients to learn how to cook from scratch. Other recommendations include: eliminate fast foods, eat multiple servings of deeply colored vegetables daily, include "good" fats like avocado, olive oil and nuts in your diet and finally eliminate trans fats and excessive sugar.

Possible Risks

Like all invasive medical procedures, prolotherapy does have potential risks, according to Dr. Hauser. Due to the inflammation that the treatment induces, some patients experience bruising, stiffness, pain and swelling in the area being injected, which typically lasts from one to seven days. Other potential side effects include infection, spinal headache, nerve or tendon/ligament injury. In case of infection, oral antibiotics will most likely be prescribed.

References

Article reviewed by JenniferD Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

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